TORONTO — Perhaps the cross Jeffrey Orridge forever will be forced to bear — other than being the Canadian Football League’s 13th commissioner — was coming in on the coattails of Mark Cohon, his predecessor.

Cohon was all about the look and the show. His suits were impeccable, a hair never out of place, with a radiant smile that could kill. He was the commissioner of the people, accessible to the fans. Heck, he was known for dropping into a bar, occasionally, before a game to share a beverage with them. But when he got around to talking, it was often style over substance.

This isn’t to say Orridge, 56, dresses like a bum. On the contrary. But there was a perception last season that the Queens, N.Y., native, a Harvard Law School graduate, wasn’t visible enough. And when he did make an appearance, Orridge always seemed uncomfortable.

“I remember hearing this expression — you give yourself permission to know more today than you did yesterday. I’ve given myself permission. My first year was about learning and experiencing, not only the game but the business,” Orridge said this week during an exclusive interview in the league’s Toronto office.

“You can’t replace anyone, and there will always be comparisons. Comparisons can be misleading,” added Orridge, who officially started his new post on April 29, 2015, Cohon electing not to seek another term after eight years. “You can’t compare me in my first seven months to him in his seventh year. There’s obvious differences in our styles and our experience with the league.

“I’m not worried with comparisons. He did an incredible job. He was at the right place at the right time for what the league needed at the time.”

Orridge’s first season on the job ended with last November’s Grey Cup and amid criticism. He rolled out the CFL’s new slogan, pitched its new logo, sidestepped the drug-testing issue, danced around every difficult question and, perhaps displaying his anxiety, held the newly branded league ball in his hands throughout a 45-minute question-and-answer session. Orridge talked in paragraphs, seemingly losing the room rapidly.

If the transition still isn’t complete 15 months later, Orridge clearly is more comfortable his second year on the job. He has become more visible, is cognizant of the comparisons to Cohon and is working on his image. While he unsuccessfully attempted to have questions sent to him in advance for this interview — his former position as the head of sports properties for CBC undoubtedly at work here — Orridge is hospitable, engaging, more or less relaxed and comfortable in his own skin, laughing frequently with his visitor.

If Cohon arrived at an opportune time, the argument could be made so, too, has Orridge. With the league in relative financial harmony — other than Toronto, the long-standing blemish that now has new ownership and a new venue — Orridge’s mandate, quite succinctly, might be simply not to screw things up and stay out of his own way.

If only it was that easy. Orridge knows he must attract the next generation of fans. He knows there’s work to be done in the league’s larger markets. He said he must expand the CFL’s appeal beyond the nation’s borders, while increasing the league’s relevance and expand its reach. The league must evolve and innovate, increasing its appeal and interaction within the media, digital world, social media and marketing. There are always new sponsors and relationships to be formed.

The CFL has a new and, arguably, enhanced drug-testing program, a coaching anti-tampering policy — thanks in no small measure to Alouettes defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe, who wanted to sign with Edmonton last winter — an officiating exchange program with the NFL, an enhanced league website and its social media platform has been augmented.

Now if Orridge and Glen Johnson, his senior vice-president (football), could do something about the inconsistent officiating, plethora of flags and a review system that, at times, seems to take forever, the level of entertainment would drastically improve. More and more fans, it seems, are growing increasingly impatient with the officiating and games that stretch past three hours — although Orridge said they are, on average, 15 to 20 minutes shorter than those played in the NFL.

“Officiating is the hardest part of sport, and officiating in the CFL is probably one of the most difficult. We’re constantly looking for ways to improve. The officials are the only people expected to be perfect — and then improve,” Orridge admitted. “We’re focused on that and we’re trying to get the calls more accurate. I think it’s a matter of pace and flow. There are definitely things we can improve upon.

“Consistency is the ultimate goal. Can we do a better job? Absolutely. Are we looking at ways to make it better? Absolutely. This is the first year for many of these changes. We’re in a constant mode of evaluation and modification. We’re very deliberate. The processes are all in place.

“Officiating is something of paramount importance to us. We have a very good accuracy rate. Unfortunately, it may be that one play where there was human error most people look at — not the 150 calls or non-calls they got right.”

Orridge, the married father of two boys, has become a Canadian citizen within the last year and admits his legal background comes in handy — the commissioner required to be conversant with marketing, licensing and transactional work. Orridge presides over a staff of about 50 and, while some left with Cohon’s departure, the new guy said he welcomes the input from others. “I’m always looking for a way to make something better,” he said. “I’m always looking for innovation.”

While Orridge might be a serf to the league’s board of governors, he puts no timeline — other than having developed a strategic plan through 2020 — on his tenure, stating he wants to remain commissioner as long as he believes he’s delivering value while continuing to evolve the CFL.

“People will get to know the fact I work pretty hard and I’m just trying to make the league better,” he said.

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